NCJ Number
227637
Date Published
2009
Length
194 pages
Annotation
This report presents information on the activities of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct for the year 2008.
Abstract
Highlights of the report include: (1) the Commission received 1,923 new complaints in 2008, the most ever in 1 year; (2) of the 1,923 new complaints, 262 were investigated compared to 267 in 2006; (3) 15 formal disciplinary determinations were rendered: 1 removal, 8 censures, and 6 admonitions; (4) 11 formal written complaints were disposed of without rendering public discipline or dispositions; (5) 3 judges were cautioned for engaging in unauthorized ex parte communications, 8 were cautioned for improper political activity, 10 were cautioned for failing to meet certain mandates, 4 were cautioned for being discourteous, 2 were cautioned for not ensuring that fines and the court funds were properly and timely recorded, deposited, and disbursed, and 4 were cautioned for delay in scheduling or disposing of cases; (6) for the first time in a generation, the Commission's budget and staff were significantly increased; (7) the number of complaints pending at year's end dropped from 275 in 2006 to 208 in 2008. The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct is designated by the State Constitution to review complaints of misconduct against judges and justices of the State Unified Court System, and render, if deemed necessary, public disciplinary determinations of admonition, censure, or removal from office. This report presents a summary on the Commission's actions for 2008. Figures, tables, and appendixes A-G